


Contingency

by Splintered_Star



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mid-Canon, look you know what i'm referring to
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2019-03-07 01:12:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13423569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Splintered_Star/pseuds/Splintered_Star
Summary: On the way to Starkiller Base, Chewbacca and Han make back up plans





	Contingency

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes I get hit by sad ideas and I just have to go with them, okay.

 

The trooper cub is asleep in the back. The jump isn't long, but it's worth it to sleep when they can. It's worth it to go into a job well rested and prepared. The cub sleeps in an unfamiliar place with the ease of the soldier he is too young to be.

 

Then again, all humans seem too young.

 

Han isn't sleeping. Han is up in the cockpit, watching the stars streak past in silence. Chewbacca folds himself into the copilot's chair, and waits.

 

"Chewie..." Han leans forward, his elbows on his knees, staring at the blur of stars in front of them. "You know, you've paid up your debt a million times over, as far as I'm concerned." Chewbacca grumbles, crossing his arms in annoyance. Not /this/ argument again. Han glances over, then snorts. "Yeah, I know, I know. I just.... you don't have to run this one with me, ya know."

 

Chewbacca waits, unimpressed, with his arms crossed. Han lets out a breath and his shoulders slump.  

 

"...Look. I told Leia that I was gonna - try and bring him back. But. We all know that... it might not work. He might-" Another pause. "There's a chance I'm not gonna walk away from this one. And I just - I want you to know that if I don't, you've paid your debt. You don't have to go down with me."

 

Chewbacca tilts his head for a moment. Then he reaches over, and cuffs Han across the head very softly. It's enough to get his point across without breaking the fragile human. Han huffs something too weak to be laughter.

 

"…Can ya do one last thing for me, then?"  Han looks over and finally meets his eyes. Chewbacca always knew that humans aged quickly, but it's only moments like these that he looks at Han and sees the wrinkles and the grey and the exhaustion and thinks - it's too soon, it’s much too soon. "For old times' sake."

 

Chewbacca nods. Anything, of course. For his partner, his best friend, for the family that became his own. For the cub he could not save, and the ones he still can.

 

"If I don't come back, if -" Han shakes his head, runs a hand through his hair. "...look after those kids, okay? Rey can have the ship if she wants it, force knows she'll take care of it."

 

Chewbacca pats Han on the shoulder, and growls quietly to keep from waking the cub in the back.

 

"Already planning on it.”

 

Han snorts, and puts his hand over Chewbacca’s.

 

“Thanks.”


End file.
